


Father's Day Not

by flowerpcy



Category: Soul Eater
Genre: Father's Day, Fluff, Gen, blink and you'll miss it stein/spirit, kind of cracky tbh but i just really love dad stein, stein just being a dad, this sounded like a way better idea at 2 in the morning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-24
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-07-02 01:45:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15786414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowerpcy/pseuds/flowerpcy
Summary: Standing outside on his doorstep is not only Maka and Blackstar, but behind them are Soul, Kid, Patty, Liz, Tsubaki, and Crona as well, each holding something wrapped in colorful paper in their hands or hiding something behind their backs, a smile on their faces.Stein’s heartbeat feels frozen in his chest, not quite sure what to do with the confused emotions bubbling in his veins.“Hi, Professor,” Maka says, stepping forwards with bright eyes. “Happy Father’s Day!”





	Father's Day Not

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by 2am conversations with my friend about how much of a dad stein is. stein may have big dick energy but he has even BIGGER dad energy
> 
> \- set probably a few months after the events of the show timeline

Honestly, Stein just wanted a reason to celebrate Father’s Day.

His alarm goes off and he throws out an arm to silence it, the glowing date on his phone burning through his eyelids.

Stein doesn’t have any biological children, of course, but that hadn’t stopped him from trying to be that father figure he never had himself to his students. It had been a long time since his relationship with them delved from professional to something a little more familiar. Maybe it had been those few near-death situations that they always seemed to get themselves into, no matter how many times Stein’s heart had broken sending them into battle when all they should be doing is studying peacefully at their desks and then sneaking away to play basketball instead. Maybe it had been the times they had come to him with their questions or smiled at him in the hallways, finally greeting him with something more than a poorly concealed glance at his screw or the scars on his face.

When Marie came to the school, all the students latched onto her instantly and she immediately and effectively became the resident School Mom.

As hard as he tried not to be, Stein was jealous.

He had been around and worked with these students for so much longer than she had and yet produced so meager results compared to hers. Maybe it had been the dangerous situations he’d sent them into, not seeing anything except his poker face as he laid out the directions when all they should be seeing was his trailing handwriting on the blackboard and a basketball slicing neatly through its net when they cut class. Maybe it had been the times they dragged their feet to go ask questions about the test because they _had_ to pass his class, swallowing nervously and desperately avoiding his screw or his scars with their eyes so as to not scare themselves.

Stein rolls over in bed, tugging the sheets up closer to his neck with a groan. Maybe he’ll just stay in bed. That way he won’t have to see the way Spirit tries to get Maka’s attention and Maka will indulge him with a smile just for today, the way that Kid offers up a handful of flowers to Lord Death with tinged cheeks and a wide grin.

Maybe Stein is just being selfish, but he can’t stop running scenarios through his mind as he drifts off to sleep again where his (sort of) adopted children love him back the way he loves them.

\-----

Stein jolts awake as a vigorously loud pounding resounds through his lab, followed immediately by an even louder voice shouting, “Professor Stein! Sir! Are you awake?! Sir! Please open your door! Professor--”

The voice that Stein is now overly sure belongs to Blackstar is cut off, replaced with a dull thump and a scolding hiss that Stein thinks might be Maka. He swings his legs over the side of the bed and grabs his lab coat hanging by his open bedroom door, unsteadily trodding out into the hall after sliding his glasses onto his face as well. He’s not quite sure what’s happening, but he thinks at the very least Blackstar might be in need of a bandage.

A polite knocking, this time, comes from the door as Stein approaches it, and he hesitantly clicks the doorknob open.

Standing outside on his doorstep is not only Maka and Blackstar, but behind them are Soul, Kid, Patty, Liz, Tsubaki, and Crona as well, each holding something wrapped in colorful paper in their hands or hiding something behind their backs, smiles on their faces.

Stein’s heartbeat feels frozen in his chest, not quite sure what to do with the confused emotions bubbling in his veins.

“Hi, Professor,” Maka says, stepping forwards with bright eyes. “Happy Father’s Day!”

An energetic chorus repeats “Happy Father’s Day!” behind Maka from the rest of them, and something deep inside Stein’s heart finally, _finally,_ uncoils and loosens, something he hadn’t been sure would ever do so again.

“Come in,” he manages to get out, and he swings open the door wide for them to all file in.

Stein brings them into his living room (if it could even be called that), and they all squeeze onto one of the couches, leaving Stein to sit alone on the one opposite.

They look so comfortable with each other, Stein notes, pressed up against one another and not paying it any mind. They’re all focused on him, cheerful expressions undiminished.

“So,” Stein starts, “tell me what this is all about?”

“It’s Father’s Day,” Crona says, voice quiet but steady. “We wanted to come celebrate with you.”

“You’re not our actual dad, of course,” Patty says brightly, “but you’re the only dad me and Liz have ever had!”

“The only one we care about, anyway,” Liz adds on.

“You’re a cool teacher,” Soul says, and then, after exchanging a glance with Liz and Patty, “and the only dad I’ve cared about, either.”

Stein looks around at them, a strange lump in his throat preventing him from saying anything.

“Two dads are better than one,” Kid shrugs, a faint smile countering his cool tone.

“Right! And you helped me to become so much stronger! I have to repay you somehow!” Blackstar says, several decibels lower than his normal volume, but he’s bouncing on the couch like he has to get his energy out somewhere. Stein notices the drying blood on his forehead, and he reaches into one of his pockets to hand a small washcloth to Blackstar as Tsubaki speaks up.

“You’ve helped all of us in so many different ways,” she says gently. “We’re not here to repay a debt--” she shoots a glance at Blackstar-- “but just to show our gratitude.”

“We have gifts for you,” Maka says, “but we also wanted to make sure you weren’t alone today. You mean a lot to us, Professor.”

If anything, it’s even harder for Stein to speak now. He can’t possibly dredge up any words to illustrate the warmth in his soul.

Luckily, he’s saved by Maka standing up and walking over to him, presenting the gift in her hands to him. Stein takes it gingerly, and Maka sits down next to him without hesitation, comfortably peering around him to watch him unwrap it.

It’s light, and the paper is blue with lavender flowers on it, tearing easily underneath Stein’s shaky fingers.

He pulls out a single, tiny braid of thread from the wrapping, woven with greens and blues and purples and reds. Stein isn’t quite sure what it is until Maka lifts up her left arm, a bracelet made with the same colors tied around her wrist.

“It’s probably kind of dumb,” she says, a faint pink crawling over her cheeks, “but it’s, uh...it’s a friendship bracelet.”

Stein feels like he could melt on the spot.

He lifts it up to Maka instead and asks, “Can you put it on for me?”

Maka’s eyes sparkle as she takes the tie from him, fastening it carefully around his left wrist, the same side hers is on. Stein tugs on it gently after she’s done--it’s secure.

“Thank you,” he says, smile mirroring hers. There’s a small, hesitant pause, and then Maka is throwing her arms around Stein’s shoulders in a hug.

She pulls back with a “ _Thank you, too,_ ” and Stein knows it means more than just for his classroom lessons.

There’s barely a break before Blackstar jumps up, almost shouting, “Mine is even better than that! Here!”

Maka takes Blackstar’s spot on the other couch, shaking her head minutely as Blackstar comes to stand in front of Stein.

“I drew it myself!” he proclaims, and hands Stein a slightly crumpled piece of paper.

Stein adjusts his glasses, and he looks down at the paper to see swirling colored pencil marks forming two figures on the paper. One is clearly of Blackstar, spiky blue hair and everything. And the other is...Stein. Laughter bubbles up in Stein’s throat when he realizes they’re the same height.

Each one has a big grin on their face, the cartoon smiles extending past their cheeks. The colors are vibrant and the flowing lines draw Stein’s eyes to all the right places. It’s a good drawing; it’s clear Blackstar took his time with it.

“Thank you, Blackstar,” Stein says sincerely. “I love it.”

“Of course, sir!” Blackstar says, and he, too, leans forwards to give Stein a hug. It’s brief, yet tight, and Stein knows Blackstar’s heart is kind despite his loud and harsh exterior.

 

Soul’s present comes next, although it isn’t anything tangible. He tells Stein that he wrote a piano piece for him, and that the next time they got a chance to visit the grand piano tucked away in the DWMA, he would play it for him.

Stein says he can’t wait to hear it, and something like a shy smile appears on Soul’s face.

 

Patty pulls out a handful of flowers for Stein, some crushed but still just as beautiful, and she asks him if he can decorate his screw with them. Stein is taken aback--no one has ever wanted to go anywhere near that _thing_ in his head, but he can only see genuine inquiry in Patty’s eyes. He says that of course she can, and she eagerly climbs onto the back of the couch and begins placing flowers all around his screw as Liz brings her gift out.

 

It’s several packages of seeds so Stein can plant some greenery around his lab, Liz explains. He needs some color around his home. The packages are labeled _Forget-Me-Not, Tulip,_ and _Pink Rose._

“I have some tree starters for you, too, outside,” Liz says. “I didn’t want to bring them in here and track dirt everywhere, but there’s a Japanese Maple and a miniature willow tree out there. I can help you plant them, if you want.”

 

Tsubaki’s gift goes right along with Liz’s: she takes out a small, wooden bird feeder, and says he can hang it on the trees once they’re grown.

“Where did you get this?” Stein asks, turning it over in his hands. It shines from the polish, and the dark red wood is smooth all around. It’s very nicely manufactured.

“Oh, I made it myself,” Tsubaki says, and Stein looks up with wide eyes.

“You--Tsubaki, this is beautiful. I can’t wait to hang this up.”

If possible, Tsubaki’s eyes twinkle even brighter.

 

Kid’s present is small but sweet.

“You’re a scientist,” he says as Stein pulls out a tiny notebook and pencil from the wrapping paper. “You’re always mentally storing away notes and facts and whatnot, and I thought it might be useful for you to have somewhere physical to write them down in. It will fit into your pocket, too,” he adds.

Kid is certainly more attentive than people give him credit for, Stein notes, as he thanks Kid and slips the notebook into his pocket right away. Kid looks very happy that it fits perfectly inside Stein’s coat.

 

Crona is the last one to step up. They also have a piece of paper in their hands like Blackstar had, but this one is covered in black lettering instead of colored shading.

“I wrote you a poem,” Crona says. “Thank you for making me feel like I belong.”

Crona’s words, both spoken and written, cut straight to Stein’s heart and he finally feels like he’s done something good in his life.

 

Along with all the gifts, Stein also gets a hug from every one of them, and his self-consciousness about his intimidating aura diminishes with each one.

 

Later that day, the city doused in golden light from the sunset, Stein finds himself walking the outskirts of the DWMA. It’s been a while since the kids had left his laboratory, but their laughter still rings in his ears from the hours they spent there doing nothing but enjoying each others’ company.

Stein looks up from his projected path, and shock runs through him when he sees Spirit standing on a balcony some ways away from him. Spirit hasn’t noticed him yet, and Stein starts to wonder if he should walk over to him or not until something on Spirit’s wrist catches his eye. From this distance, at least, it almost looks like the bracelet Stein received from Maka earlier today.

Spirit glances over as Stein nears, and something flashes in his eyes that Stein can’t quite read.

“Hey,” Stein says, and Spirit nods in return. He doesn’t look completely averse to his company, so Stein comes to stand next to him, resting his forearms on the balcony.

The silence that falls over them is somewhere between awkward and comfortable, but neither of them seem to mind it.

Stein finally breaks it when he gestures to the bracelet on Spirit’s wrist, definitely matching the one he has, and says, “You got one, too?”

Spirit glances over, brow furrowed in confusion, and Stein tugs his left sleeve back to reveal his own tie. Spirit’s expression morphs into surprise, but he doesn’t look upset.

“Yeah,” he says after a pause. “Maka gave it to me. For Father’s Day.”

“She gave this one to me, too,” Stein says, smiling faintly, and after a few moments, Spirit smiles back, and Stein doesn’t think today could get any better.

**Author's Note:**

> liz has her own garden and tsubaki is your standard disney princess (but superior) who always communicates with all the forest creatures, you cant change my mind (plus they're flora and fauna gfs)
> 
> blackstar is also my fuckign son, ilhsm yall im so soft for that man
> 
> also. if any of you have absent and/or shitty fathers, stein's your dad now, no printer just fax sweaty :)


End file.
